Westminster Notes - Businesses achieving much for local communities
Half-way through February, it’s safe to say 2025 has got off to a frantic and varied start as the MP for Angus and Perthshire Glens. This is both in terms of parliamentary duties and the much more enjoyable element of getting out and about in the constituency in support of residents and businesses, writes Dave Doogan MP.
With regard to the former, I’ve been on my feet in the chamber of the House of Commons a great deal these last five weeks with urgent business on the economy, Gaza and Russian interference in the sub-sea infrastructure of these islands. As the SNP’s Defence, Treasury and Energy spokesperson there is never a dull moment as ministers come to the House to answer urgent questions or deliver a statement, wherein they seek to update Parliament on matters which cannot wait.
A key topic is the economy and the fiscal interventions the Chancellor made with her first budget in the Autumn. This saw a £25bn tax rise on the cost of employing people which many of us thought ill-considered and anti-growth at the time, and so it has proven to be. If the Prime Minister maintains confidence in his Chancellor, then this puts him at odds with businesses out in the real economy, fighting to provide goods and services in a way that sustains their businesses, creating wealth locally and employment opportunities.
On defence, a key manifesto commitment of the Labour Party was to increase spending to 2.5% of GDP, but they steadfastly refuse to say when this will be delivered. With economic growth down, unemployment up and the cost of UK borrowing going through the roof, the prospects look bleak. This comes after 14 years of record underinvestment by the Conservatives so could not be worse news for our men and women in uniform working silently to defend our values and maintain our security.
And on energy, the Labour Party promised to lower energy bills by £300. Instead, within a year of the election, our bills will have increased by almost £300. GB Energy remains a figment of the Government’s imagination without a single job for Scotland.
It is therefore a welcome antidote to get back to the constituency to meet businesses and organisations achieving so much for local people and local economies, in stark contrast to the chaos at Westminster.